Hoeness awaits jail as Bayern secure title

Munich: Bayern Munich were crowned German champions for the 24th time on Tuesday with the man who helped build them into a European powerhouse waiting to go behind bars.

Uli Hoeness, 62, resigned as Bayern`s president two weeks ago after being convicted of having cheated the state out of 28.5 million euros ($39.5 million) in unpaid taxes and was given a three-and-a-half year jail sentence by Munich`s regional court. Hoeness walked away from the European champions after more than 40 years service and is set to serve his sentence at Bavaria`s Landsberg prison, where Adolf Hitler wrote his novel `Mein Kampf`. All five of Bayern`s European titles in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001 and 2013 came with him involved as either a player, general manager or club president. Before his arrival as an 18-year-old in 1970, Bayern had won just two of their 24 German league titles. While Hoeness waits to start his jail term, Edmund Stoiber, head of Bayern`s management board, has already said there could be a role for him after his release. "A door is always open and Uli Hoeness will always be the soul of the club," Stoiber told Bavarian television. "Whatever he wants to do, anything is possible." Bayern have already named Karl Hopfner as Hoeness` successor as club president. Adidas` CEO Herbert Hainer, the CEO of German sportswear giants Adidas, takes over from Hoeness as chairman of Bayern`s advisory board. Both positions must be ratified by a vote on May 2 at the club`s general assembly.